By Felix Oti ,Awka
Concerned Awka-North People comprising mostly of
All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA)members in Awka-North local Government Area Anambra state at the weekend stormed the residence of Hon. Ferdinand Onwuje to appeal to him to shelve his plans to run for the House of Representatives for Awka- North and South Federal constituency, but rather vie for the State House of Assembly position for Awka-North.
Hon Onwuje is currently the Transition Committee Chairman, Awka-North Local Government Area.
The group donated electoral campaign materials to Onwuje as well as expressed readiness to purchase both the APGA House of Assembly Expression of interest form,two vehicles (Sienna) and nomination forms to enable him contest for the 2023 election.
Speaking on behalf of Concerned Awka-North people cutting across political divide but mostly APGA members from 10 communities in Awka-North, Hon. Chijioke Oliver Iferike described Hon Onwuje as the most qualified for the job due to his steering leadership qualities as a government appointee despite paucity of funds. He urged other potential contestants from the Council Area to rather support him.
Iferike also recalled that Awka-North has a zoning formula among it’s two political blocs, Awka- North One and Awka- North Two, which according to him, favours Awka-North 2 (Ofemili Bloc) where Onwuje hails from.
He further said: ” We, the concerned Awka-North are the people in your house today. They are those who believe that you are a good person, who know you as peace maker. Those who see you as someone who shares well if it is in your costudy. Those who see you as someone who considers equity in everything you do. Those who see you as one who does not suppress anyone. Those who know that you believe in God. Those who know that you care for the masses. They are these people you are seeing in your house today.
“They are the people that vote during election. They make things happen. They are the owners of Awka-North.
“We plan this to be a surprise visit to you. We all have benefited from you in one way or the other., Some of us got jobs ,scholarship through you and you do these in secret not in social media.
“We know it is from your heart genuinely not that you have anything in mind even before they gave you an appointment, you have been helping people in one way or the other.
“Ask me why we are here? In politics, if your people sent you and you do well, they will send you again.
“Mayor, all these you have done even when you don’t have any elected post. Now, you are the Transitional Committee Chairman ,we know what is there.
“Atimes , you use your personal money in doing all these.
“We want to vote you in as an elected representative of your people, where you will have authority to do more things for Awka- North people. We believe that if we give you authority by voting you ,you will do more than you have done.
“Many people in Awka North, about five people have decleared interest but you are the best among all. All the things I mentioned before made you stand ahead of them. We don’t know if you are afraid.
“We are pleading with you to come out and let us vote you in as our representative in Anambra state House of Assembly. for you are our choice.
“We will Support you physically. We will give you two Toyota Sienna buses, we will also buy interest form. We also have these stickers made already. All these are to show you that we are serious with you, and more are coming.
“However, we have consulted your traditional ruler and confirmed that you are good”, he concluded.
Also speaking, Hon. Favour Nworah, a woman leader from Ebenebe and Coordinator, Awka-North Women Wing, and Chief Damain Nnaemena, SA Community Liaison to Governor Willie Obiano, scored Onwuje high in terms of welfare, adding that he had used his wealth of experience and contacts to secure jobs and other opportunities for both people he knew and those he may not know.
The team had earlier visited the Traditional Ruler of Ebenebe, HRH Igwe Christopher Emeka Nnaegbuna to seek his blessing and words of advice on their quest to convince his subject, the TC Chairman to join the House of Assembly race.
Replying the visitors, Igwe Nnaegbuna, who is also the Chairman, Awka- North Traditional Rulers Council, urged politicians from the Council Area to stand by truth, peace and equity, which according to him, would enable them to choose the right person for the job without rancour and overspending.
Similarly, the Traditional Ruler of Awba-Ofemili, another community in the Ofemili bloc, HRH Igwe Ezekwesili Maduagwuna, advocated for politics without bitterness, urging people not to over demand from the contestants as it could force the eventual winner to amass wealth at the end to recoup their expenses.
Responding, Hon. Ferdinand Onwuje, accepted to vie for the House of Assembly election to a thunderous applause of his guests. He appealed for the support of all to realize the dream, which he said would help to change the face of Awka-North through quality legislations and attractions of government presence.
He expressed gratitude to his guests for finding him worthy to contest for House of Assembly position against his interest to contest for Federal House of Representatives.
